A Raven Colored Past
by Xaphrin
Summary: When Trigon dies, Raven is forced to return to the Underworld. Just a few problems... She does NOT want to be Azarath's heir, nor does she want to be betrothed! (Beast Boy and Raven Pairing)
1. Stranger

_When Trigon dies, a boy is sent to the Top-World to retrieve the sole heir of the Underworld throne. There are just a few problems: the boy is betrothed to Raven… and she just 'happens' to be that sole heir._

**A Raven Colored Past__**

---

Chapter One: Stranger

The dark room would have appeared ominous and oppressive to any normal being who entered it. Strange shadows and objects appeared to jump at you from every direction, no matter how stationary they actually were. However, this room's current visitor was no stranger to the dark, or any of the objects that adorned the walls. He, in fact, owned many of the articles and books on the shelves that lined the room.

"So…" He spoke softly to himself, glancing around the room. "This is where you're hiding, is it… Raven?"

- - -

"Wow…" A masked boy stood up from the couch and stretched his back. "That was actually a really good movie. Good choice, Star."

A redhead smiled brightly in response to the comment. "Thank you, Robin. The woman at the rental store said it was a classic and that if I hadn't seen it yet, I was missing out… although I'm not sure on what." The boy smiled in response.

"Huh…" A cloaked girl reached for the DVD case and began to read the back of the box, as if oblivious to the conversation around her. She didn't really care to make _too_ much contact with them. After all, she _had_ just spent four hours watching _Gone with the Wind_ with them… as scary as that may be. Raven enjoyed being with her friends, but she also enjoyed her alone time… and it was getting pretty close to being her alone time.

"Oh wow…"

The dark girl looked up into green eyes, set in a green face, and framed by green hair. She blinked once, then put the case down. "'Oh wow' what?" She asked shortly.

"Check out the time… I didn't know it was so late."

Her eyes darted to the clock that read '1:32' and she stood up, stretching her own limbs. "Although I enjoyed 'bonding time', it is now time for me to go to sleep."

"Yeah…I'm pretty tired too." Robin agreed.

"G'night, Raven," Beast Boy called after her, receiving now reply of any kind.

Raven walked out of the room letting their voices fade into the comforting darkness around her. She hadn't always enjoyed her companions, when she first became a Titan she couldn't stand any of them except Robin, and she especially despised Beast Boy. He was constantly trying to make her laugh and feel good. Raven really wasn't exactly a feel-good sort of person. Now that she actually thought about it, Beast Boy _still_ was trying to make her laugh and feel good. Boy was he ever stupid.

But through everything that had happened over the years, Raven became more and more attached to her teammates. You could almost go as far to say that she loved them. Almost. They still managed to get on each other's nerves every so often.

Raven sighed deeply and opened the door to her room. She took a deep breath as she entered, expecting the gentle scent of lavender… only she met the heavy scent of freshly burned wood.

'I know that scent…' She thought to herself, turning on the lights, which she rarely did. She looked around carefully, trying to spot a misplaced book or object. She found nothing immediately, and so proceeded deeper into the room. Raven stopped suddenly as she felt the presence of the invisible visitor, and stared at the empty space in front of her. "Sephiroth!" She cried in near anguish.

"Raven?" A masked face poked his head into the room, followed by a green one. "I heard you yelling. Something the matter?"

"Raven? You okay?" The green one asked.

The dark girl turned pale and instead of yelling at them and telling them not to invade her privacy, she shook her head and whispered: "No."

She _never_ acted like this… she was never afraid… except now.

Beast Boy ran forward instantly, where as Robin was slightly hesitant. He'd never entered Raven's room, and in the unforgiving fluorescent lights it looked freakish. Not to mention that Raven threatened death and blackmail to anyone who entered her domain.

"What's the mater, Raven?" He asked quickly, looking around the room as though fearing an attack of some sort.

"Some one's here… some one that shouldn't be here…" She whispered, her voice turning dry and harsh. She looked up into Beast Boy's concerned face as he held her shoulders tightly. Her head grew light and her mind began to wander as she looked into his dark green eyes. It was strange to think about how much the green male cared for her, and even more so after his and Cyborg's trip into her mind…

"What are you talking about? Raven, are you okay? You feel too relaxed." Beast Boy turned and looked at Robin, but he just shrugged and shook his head.

"Help…" Raven's head fell against Beast Boy's chest as she slipped into unconsciousness. He looked from the dark girl to Robin and back again. There was a moment of heavy silence as both started to think. This was extremely strange… to have Raven become so weak, and even blackout without her emotions going haywire like it did with Dr. Light. Something was amiss.

"I'm taking her into the living room…" Beast Boy stated decisively. "There's something about her room that throws me off."

Robin nodded. "I feel it too… it's like there's some one else here…"

Beast Boy picked her up with ease and started for the living room, Robin following closely. "Isn't that what she said… 'Some one that shouldn't be here'… I wonder what she was talking about?" He pondered silently for a moment.

"There's something not right about this…" Robin warned carefully as Beast Boy entered the living room and set her down on the couch. Cyborg and Starfire were still in the room, finishing up their conversation. Starfire looked up at Robin and Beast Boy in surprise.

"What is the matter with Raven? Is she ill?" Starfire quickly joined the two boys at her friend's side. "Does she have a case of jabnarg?"

Beast Boy blinked at her in confusion before shaking his head and sighing. "I don't think so. I think something just really spooked her."

Cyborg looked greatly surprised. "Something spook _Raven_? I find that pretty hard to belive, Raven's not afraid of anything."

"Except her past."

Every able-bodied person spun quickly around to stare into bright, green eyes set in a pale, handsome face, and framed by long, dark hair. A sudden silence filled the air heavily as the presence of the stranger became more and more awkward.

"Who _are_ you?" Robin finally had the courage to say.

"I'm Sephiroth… I'm Raven's… old 'acquaintance'." The smile that appeared on his lips was like fire and ice mixed together; it felt cold and distant but at the same time it held a burning fire of hate and anger. "You must be the Teen Titans…"

"You knew Raven?" Beast Boy asked, taking a careful and defensive step in front of Raven's incapacitated body.

"_Know,_" he corrected coolly, eyes narrowing at the green male. "I _know_ Raven."

There was an icy pause.

"How?" Robin finally asked.

"I'm her half-brother…" He stated calmly, then his green eyes turned cruelly to Beast Boy and he sneered. "…and her future husband."

"Her… her _what_?" the shape-shifter choked on his words as he forced them from his shocked lips.

"Her future husband," Sephiroth repeated calmly. "And you are…?"

Beast Boy felt as though he was suddenly shrunk to the size of a pea. The way this _thing_ talked down to him, really irked him. He wasn't stupid. "I'm Beast Boy."

"Oh… that's… interesting." Sephiroth didn't seem all that interested in actuality.

"What are you doing here?" Robin questioned, eyeing him as if he were a threat.

"I'm here to speak with Raven."

Beast Boy growled softly, feeling every hair on his body stand on end. This person was bad news, and he didn't like him one bit. He was haughty, over-bearing, rude… and Raven's future husband! That last reason alone was enough for Beast Boy to see red. He _loved_ Raven, whether she knew that or not didn't seem to matter, the fact was that Beast Boy was going to be protective of her no matter what. And he'd be damned if this bastard paraded around calling himself Raven's husband.

"About what?" The green one hissed.

"Nothing concerning you," Sephiroth snapped back.

"If it concerns Raven," Starfire interjected. "It concerns us. Raven is our friend."

The unwanted visitor looked genuinely surprised. "Raven has friends?"

"Of course," Cyborg spoke up, "Why shouldn't she?"

"Raven is incapable of having friends," Sephiroth said coldly, making a sound of disbelief.

"Says who?" Robin questioned carefully.

"Says her past," Sephiroth sneered, "And her future… as well as yours, if you know what's good for you."

"I'm sorry," Beast Boy hissed. "We don't."

"You shouldn't make friends with a half-demon… it's dangerous." Sephiroth glared in response.

"We don't care about the danger." The argument was becoming heated and their cold words and glared fought for dominance.

"But you should… Raven is capable of destroying the entire world."

There was a shocked silence, then the figure on the sofa moaned lightly and weakly flailed her limbs. Raven's lavender eyes fluttered open as she moaned again. "Gods, I feel terrible… where am I?" She held a hand to her forehead and sat up slowly.

In a split second, Beast Boy was at her side, placing his hand on her head and putting a supportive arm around her shoulders. "Raven? Are you okay?"

"Yeah…" She said slowly. "I think so."

"Raven."

A glass broke instantaneously as Raven's eyes widened in surprise. Slowly, she turned to stare into a pair of bright green eyes, which were nothing like the comforting, deep ones of Beast Boy. A heavy silence coated the room and its six occupants in response to the eye contact.

"Sephiroth." Raven finally spoke icily. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see you, Raven. We have a lot to talk about."

Raven stood up instantly and wobbled shakily on her feet, but continued to glare at him. "I will _never_ marry _you_!" She yelled, pointing a finger at him.

Beast Boy's heart stopped beating instantly. Inside him, he secretly wished against all hope that Sephiroth was lying about the marriage… but he wasn't. He _was_ to be Raven's future husband… but by the looks of it, Raven sure as hell didn't _want_ to marry him.

"You don't have much of a choice in the matter!" Sephiroth's voice grew angry quickly, as if Raven's insubordination was grinding his last nerve.

"I live on the Top-World now!" Raven yelled back, her eyes suddenly glowing dangerously white. "And I'll be damned if I have to go back _there_." She spat the last word as if it were the deadliest of poisons. None of the Titans knew where 'there' was exactly (or what any of their conversation meant), but they sure didn't want to find out according to Raven.

"You _don't_ have a choice! Trigon is DEAD! Your _father_ is DEAD!" Sephiroth screamed at the top of his lungs in complete anguish and frustration. "_You_ HAVE to go back, Raven! YOU rule the Underworld now!"

- - -

I hope you enjoyed all of that!

Um… first off, I just wanna say that I'm going to be making up a crazy bunch of Raven's past. I actually know all about Raven's _true_ past, so all of you readers who want to give me the volumes of the down-low… _don't_. I know already, but thanks for trying to tell me anyway. I _chose_ to give her a different past because I'd have a bunch more fun doing it that way!

Secondly, if you wanna know about Raven's real past, future, etc. check out **titainstower.com** this site has a crap-load of… _stuff_. Plus it's just crazy awesome! You can get everything about the Teen Titans from like 1964 to 2004. It totally rocks. One set back is: if you're not used to the amounts of information of a long-going comic like this… then you're in over your head. There is A LOT of information to go through… so don't think it's gonna be a smilley and easy like Sailor Moon or Gen 13. Remember: **titanstower.com**

Well… Review if you hated it, review if you love it! It's all good!

PS: I don't own Teen Titans, 'cause if I did… well Terra would be smusheded (And to all of those who think she's actually pretty cool… go check out what she does in the original comic and see how much you _really_ like her.)

PSS: This chapter is in honor of **Lain the Fluff-Master** who seemed excited to read it, so this one's for you! You rock! All of you reading this who _haven't_ read her stories are so totally missing out! GO READ THEM! NOW GO! You're done with this story so go!

Lots of love: Xaph!

Now get outta here and go have fun, you kids! Hope to see ya soon!


	2. A Trip for Two to Hell

**A Raven Colored Past**

Chapter Two: A Trip for Two to Hell

_(June 3rd 2004)_

- - -

Raven choked on her breath, lavender eyes widening in shock. "What?"

Sephiroth snarled slowly, his anger dying down as her own did the same. "He's dead! Even demons don't last forever, you should know this, Raven."

"I'm _not_ going back," Raven said defiantly, trying to discourage any more thoughts of returning to that dreadful place. "I will _never_ go back."

"You're his heir, you don't have a choice."

"There's always a choice!" Raven turned on him, eyes glowing white again.

"Um…" Starfire began slowly, hoping she wasn't treading on dangerous ground.. "Maybe it would be best if we left you alone for a while?"

"Yes."

"No."

Both answers were instantaneous, the two people glared at each other for a few long moments before Robin stepped in.

"I think Star is right… we'll leave you two alone for a while…" Raven's four companions quickly exited the living room, each praying that the room would still be in one piece when this was all over.

"_You_ rule the Underworld," Sephiroth began again, after they had left. He was trying to pound some sense into her new, Top-World brain, but it didn't seem to be working. "_You're_ betrothed to _me._"

"So that's it, is it?" Raven snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. "You want to marry me so you can control the Underworld? Isn't that what you're after?"

"Yes," Sephiroth glared, refusing to even remotely disguise his intentions. She was smarter than any other demon he knew (beside himself), so there was no use in trying to hide what he truly wanted. "Your father betrothed you to me. It's _law_."

"That law doesn't exist here." She turned away and looked out the window to the beautiful skyline. That was something she would miss, if she _had_ to go return to Azarath.

"You don't belong here." Sephiroth spoke steely.

"I belong where I want to!" Raven yelled, whipping around to meet him in a battle of words. "Don't you _dare _tell _me_ where _I_ belong!"

"You're _MINE_, Raven!" Sephiroth pointed at her, as if daring her to defy him again. "You have to come back to Azarath NOW! There's _nothing_ you can say about it!"

"I don't WANT to!" Raven cried, feeling as if she were throwing some sort of childish tantrum. She _didn't_ want to go back! And why should Sephiroth have the power to control her like that? "There was a _reason_ I left, you know!"

"So, you _want_ to stay here with these insolent fools!?" Sephiroth gestured to the door where the Titans had exited. "They don't even know the extent of your powers, Raven!"

"But-"

Sephiroth cut off her response, feeling that a winning end was coming soon. "If they did, they'd never be friends with you!"

"No…" She whispered. "They're my friends… they'd follow me into hell…"

Sephiroth sneered, he had won the battle. The end was in sight, and he would come out victorious. "Oh? Would they? Let's test that theory, shall we?"

"Don't!" Raven said quickly, feeling the shame of defeat enter her. She knew she had lost. She always lost to Sephiroth… he was cruel and manipulative and knew exactly how to pull Raven's arm to make her do anything he wanted. "Don't make them go there. I don't want _anyone_ to go there…"

"I thought you said they'd follow you into hell, Raven?" He sneered at her.

"They would… but I don't want them too…" Raven whispered, looking down at the ground.

"Then you admit your defeat?"

"Yes."

"And you'll come back to Azarath with me?"

Raven took a long slow breath, then looked back up at her half-brother. "For a while. I'll clear things up with my father and then I'm coming _home,_ to the Top-World."

"Azarath is your home."

"The Underworld is only home for those who deserve to be there." With that last statement she turned and left the room, leaving behind a smug Sephiroth who had, once again, gotten his way.

- - -

Raven pulled her knees close to her chest, looking up into the dark green eyes she found comforting. Beast Boy looked sympathetically at her and for a small moment, she wanted to be wrapped up in the embraces of her companions that she loved so much, no matter what she told them. She was sitting in the middle of her room with all of her friends gathered around her in a circle, and told them what was going to happen to her.

"So… I told him I would go to Azarath with him… just to clear up things with my father. Then I'll come home." Raven rocked her body for a moment before sighing deeply and sitting still.

"To the Top-World?" Starfire asked quietly.

Raven looked into her eyes and blinked in mild surprise. "Well… _yeah_. This is my home, Starfire. I don't belong in the Underworld, no matter how much everyone tells me I do."

Starfire smiled. "_We_ know you belong here, Raven."

"Some one should go with you, Raven," Robin spoke up.

Beast Boy perked up in response to the boy wonder's proposition. "I'll go. I don't trust Sephiroth."

Raven's eyes narrowed at him skeptically. "Beast Boy, although I am glad you want to look out for me… let's face it, I would _kill_ you by the end of first day."

Robin nodded in agreement, looking sympathetically at the shape-shifter. "She has a point, BB."

"We should all go with her," Cyborg said calmly. "We're a team, we should stick together as a team."

"And _who_ would protect the city while all of us are gone?" Raven questioned practically.

"I guess you have a point. We could get the JLA to do it… but…"

"But Gotham city has been under a lot of stress lately," Robin sighed deeply, holding his suddenly pounding head. "Some one _should_ go with you, Raven."

"Listen you guys…" Raven started, looking at her friends calmly. "It's not like I've never _been_ to Azarath before. I lived there for fourteen years of my life, it's not a strange place to me. And I grew up with Sephiroth so he isn't a stranger either. I know that he's manipulative and cruel… but I've just come to accept that. He's a bastard and he's been that way since the day he was born, so what?"

"Raven…" Beast Boy looked pleadingly into her eyes. "I just… _We_ just don't want anything to happen to you. You're too precious."

The other Titans nodded in agreement.

Raven, however, was taken aback by Beast Boy's comment. He'd never really expressed any strong emotions to her, except goofiness and gaiety. But as she looked into those deep eyes… she felt her self melt, then give in to the look. "Alright… someone can come with me."

Robin nodded decisively. "Good."

"So…" Cyborg questioned carefully, "who's gonna go?"

- - -

Raven couldn't belive it. She couldn't. The Gods must really hate her, because out of the four possible candidates to go with Raven to the Underworld… the chosen one had been Beast Boy. The green bane of her existence was chosen to follow her into the depths of hell… hopefully he would stay there.

"Why…?" Raven asked herself, crawling into her bed. It was nearing four in the morning and she wished to have at least some sleep before she faced hell… literally.

"Why did _he_ have to be chosen? He'll be dead before the end of tomorrow…" She threw the dark covers over her head and brooded.

'Maybe…' her mind spoke. 'You _want_ him to come… maybe, you feel protected by him?' There was a pause. 'Nope, that theory just went down the drain. There's no way in hell that I could ever have any feelings, other than toleration and despise, for him.'

"But that's where I'm going isn't it, hell?" She asked herself out loud, then sighed again as her eyes closed for much needed rest… which she unfortunately didn't receive. Her dreams quickly turned to nightmares of black fire, burning ravens, and a sinister red face that controlled it all. Her father was haunting her sleep, and making a horrible mess of it. She knew what was happening though; in reality, her father was making one last, feeble attempt to get Raven to stay in Azarath.

He was even more foolish than Beast Boy was.

Raven knew better than to fall for any of her dead father's tricks. The point was though, that Raven was her father's favorite… out of the thousands of children he had, for some reason Raven was Trigon's favorite. That allowed her to have a fairly luxurious life in Azarath, but that also meant she bore the responsibility of ruling the kingdom when Trigon died. And in all honesty, that really sucked. Who _really_ wants to rule a place where everyone stupid goes?

"Raven."

Raven moaned loudly, pushing the covers from her head. She read her clock before turning to face a pair of shockingly green eyes. "Oh Gods, what do you want, Sephiroth? It's six in the morning."

"We're leaving. Get your ass out of bed," He said unceremoniously.

"Screw you." She threw the covers back over her head and buried her face deep into her pillow. In an instant the covers were ripped from her body, and Raven had to look at that wickedly handsome face again. She snarled at him as he watched her lie helplessly in her bed. Raven knew exactly what he was thinking of when he looked at her, and she'd be damned if he thought any more about it.

"Bit me." She growled to him before getting out of her bed. She threw on her cloak, walked down the hall to Beast Boy's room, and knocked angrily on the steel door. There was a loud moan, sounds of falling and tripping, then the door opened to reveal a tired, green face.

"Yeah?" Beast Boy yawned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"We're leaving, so get ready," Raven said crisply.

"Yep…" Beast Boy said, perking up slightly. "Give me a sec." He closed the door to get ready for their departure.

"Wait!" Sephiroth turned to quickly to Raven and glared. "I don't remember telling you that you could bring some one to Azarath."

"I don't remember you saying I _couldn't._" She leaned against the wall and snarled at Sephiroth. He slammed his fist into the wall next to her and snarled back.

"Watch your step, Raven. You wouldn't want to find yourself in trouble… would you?" Sephiroth threatened, eyes turning a dangerous shade of red.

"You would want your body dismembered, would you?"

Sephiroth turned quickly to meet a pair of dark green eyes. "Are you challenging me?" He asked steely.

"Are you threatening Raven?" Beast Boy countered instantly, drawing himself up.

"Shut up, both of you and let's go," Raven said, throwing an angry look at Sephiroth. "I just want to go, get this over with, and leave the Underworld."

"Suit yourself, Queen…" Sephiroth remarked.

Raven turned on him in a flash. "Do _NOT_ ever call me that again! I am NOT part of that world, I am my own person and I belong to the Titans!" Her eyes had begun to glow white, and Sephiroth knew he had crossed the line, but refused to show his fear. He would control _her_, even if she was the queen of the Underworld… she was still _his_.

"So you, Sephiroth, shut the hell up and get going!"

There was an exchange of angry looks, then Sephiroth turned away and vanished in a small black cloud. Raven sighed deeply and looked back at Beast Boy, shaking her head in disbelief.

"What?" He asked innocently.

"You didn't have to stand up for me, you know."

"I know."

There was a long pause and Raven's eyes got wide with surprise as she watched him smile lopsidedly at her. Was he hinting that maybe… maybe he _liked_ her? If he knew he didn't have to stand up for her, but he did anyway… did that mean there was something more… right?

Nah!

It was _Beast Boy_, he wasn't bright enough to be subtle at anything. And even if he was, Raven would have enough sense to feel it… wouldn't she?

"Are you ready to go or not, Beast Boy?" Raven asked irritably.

"Do we have too?" The green boy pleaded helplessly. "The farther away from Sephiroth we are, the better I feel."

His dark companion sighed deeply and shrugged. "I know… I know… But if I don't show at Azarath he's gonna come back for me."

"Grrr…" Beast Boy growled and nodded reluctantly. "Fine. Let's get this show on the road."

Raven rolled her eyes and sighed deeply. "Whatever."

- - -

Here you go! The second chapter, ain't it purdeee? I gots some notes I think you should read:

1 - For all of you wondering: **YES**, this IS a Beast Boy and Raven fan-fiction. All of you, Robin and Raven fans… sorry, but let me finish this story and I promise to write a Robin and Raven fanfic just for you!

2 - I don't own Teen Titans, cause if I did than that would mean I wouldn't have to write fan-fictions… besides Beast Boy would be mine!! ALL MINE!! (If you haven't seen BB from the New Teen Titans (comic) recreated in 2001… oh MAN are you missing out. That's a fine piece of eye-candy right there… grrrr…. I guess there _is_ a reason they call him _Beast_ Boy!) Okay… I'm done ranting now… go read some other stories and enjoy yourselves! Ja!


	3. Dark Tears

**A Raven Colored Past**

Chapter Three: Dark Tears

_June 9th, 2004_

- - -

Raven sunk deeply into her feather bed, looking up at the intricately carved stone above her head. It had been years since she had lain in this bed, not since she was a young child dreaming of leaving this place. She breathed in deep, smelling the strong scent of lavender, mingled with honey suckle (the scent of her mother), and tinged with the scent of freshly burned wood.

Sephiroth.

Just the thought of him made her skin crawl. She despised every ounce of his being, and even more so after this ordeal with the death of her father. When Raven was younger, Sephiroth had been a good friend of hers… but time changes people, and Sephiroth was slowly exposed to the scum of the males that inhabited the Underworld. He turned out to be a very influential child.

Raven grabbed a pillow and sighed deeply, reminiscing of the days when him and her would race around the dark and dingy hallways only to be scolded later by Raven's mother. It was hard to give those days up, days when she was a careless child, when she knew nothing of the intricacies of royalty of Azarath. Now she was bound by law to marry Sephiroth… the law she despised most of all, for it had destroyed her mother.

_Arella looked up at the massive male in front of her, feeling her body cringe with hatred for him. "My daughter is not property!" She screamed, dark eyes flashing like an evening storm. "She is not to be sold or bartered for like a beast of burden!" _

_ "Your daughter is not yours," The man replied calmly, never looking up from the papers in front of him. "She became mine when you gave birth to her." _

_ "She was never yours… you _stole_ from me… you stole my life, my love, my chastity…" Arella's voice held nothing but complete and utter loathing for the man that sat before her now. "And I'll be damned if you take my daughter away from me."_

_ The red-faced man looked up, a smile of malice gracing his lips. "That can be arranged." In an instant Raven's mother lay on the ground, her white dress stained with the liquid of life… blood. _

_ As darkness took her, Arella found strength to take one last look into the eyes of the young child hiding under the table…_

_ Raven had witnessed her own mother's death… and now begged for her father's._

Tears stained the pillow that Raven now hugged deeply. She wished never to relive that moment again, the moment that Raven decided she would never stay in Azarath and never be a part of it.

Her mother was a human. Her father was a demon.

And Raven was a bastard child.

Not that it had ever bothered her, she was still Trigon's favorite, be she bastard or not. But Arella was right, Trigon had stolen from her… he had raped her.

A knock from the door forced Raven's eyes open, and pushed back her tears. Taking a deep breath, she composed herself and started for the door. Beast Boy stood there, looking terribly uncomfortable as his eyes shifted around and he fidgeted greatly.

"You look very out of place," Raven remarked flatly, letting him enter her room.

"I feel very out of place." He glanced around the room, then turned back to Raven. "Mm… I see we have the same decorator."

Raven rolled her eyes and sighed at his vain attempt at humor. _He_ was the one who volunteered to accompany her to Azarath. Gods forbid that this place _actually_ be frightening. She looked at him strangely, suddenly trying to figure out exactly _why_ he had chosen to come… it wasn't as if he actually cared _that_ much about her to put his _eternal soul_ in danger…right?

"So…" Beast Boy began, giving Raven a slight jolt from her silence. She turned to look at her companion with her placid gaze. "Is this your room?"

"I'm standing in it aren't I?" Raven questioned sarcastically.

"I meant if it was your room when you lived here," Beast Boy corrected himself, unfazed by Raven's sudden burst of nastiness.

The dark woman paused for a moment, looking at all the child's trinkets that lined the walls, and reaching out to pick up a small doll on a shelf. She looked at it in her hand, then up at the shape-shifter and nodded slowly. "Yes."

There was a moment of awkward silence. "Raven… I'm sorry about your father."

"Why?" She asked, looking up at him, surprised. "I'm not."

"But… he was your father." Beast Boy looked quite surprised at Raven's choice of words. There was a tinge of complete and utter despise for the deceased demon in her voice's flat tones.

"Beast Boy…" Raven said in an exhausted tone. "My father was no father, he was a demon. He was nothing more than half of the process of procreation."

"Ouch." Beast Boy remarked. "I hope you don't feel that way about all males."

Her features softened and Raven shook her head. "No. There are guys I like, and who treat me with respect… Sephiroth not being one of them."

"Robin, Cyborg, and I care about you, Raven… and we try to respect you as best as we can." Her companion supplied, feeling a little helpless that the Titan boys didn't do as much for her as they should have.

"You do a good enough job, Beast Boy."

He smiled a little, then looked around the room again. Everything in it looked ancient, as if the heathen gods of old had built this place. Raven crawled on her bed into a fetal position and basked in the silence… before he broke it.

"So…"

Raven raised an eyebrow and sighed deeply, uncurling herself from a ball. "Beast Boy, do you understand the concept of silence?"

Beast Boy sighed deeply, rolling his eyes toward the ceiling and feeling another argument approach them. "Do you want me to leave, Raven?"

"You _should_ go home, Beast Boy. You don't belong here." Raven stood on her feet and waved vaguely at the door.

That pierced his heart. True he didn't belong here, but he was doing it for her safety. He was doing all of this for _her_. "I'm here for _you_, Raven!" He cried angrily at her. "I want to keep you safe!"

This burst Raven's last nerve, and she glared at him angrily. "Who are _you_ to keep me safe!? I can take care of myself! I don't need your help or anyone else's!"

"Damn it, Raven!" Beast Boy cried, approaching her. "You've never even _let_ anyone help you! Every time we extend a hand to you, you flinch and turn away. It's like your frightened of us and our help!"

Raven's eyes narrowed at him. "I'm not frightened of anything!"

"I think…" Beast Boy's voice was soft and caring now, as if he finally understood why Raven always turned away. "I think you are afraid. Raven, everyone cares for you… everyone _loves_ you… but you just don't see that." He now stood just a few measly feet from her, and looked deeply into her dark eyes, searching for the light that was trapped within them. "You can't do everything on your own."

Raven tried to step back away from him, but discovered that she was trapped against the wall, and forced to look into Beast Boy's searching eyes. She felt her chest tighten, and realized once again why she both loved and feared those eyes of his. They were comforting and beautiful, but at the same time, they forced Raven to see things about her self that she wished not to.

What Beast Boy did next shocked the girl into oblivion. He reached out and embraced her, tightly. Raven wanted to pull away, she wanted to smack him and hit him and yell cruel names at him… But instead she wrapped her arms around him tightly and sobbed into his shoulder. Beast Boy stroked her hair softly, hoping to calm her down. She'd done they exact opposite of what he expected her to do, but he wasn't complaining. To have Raven open to her emotions and feelings for him made Beast Boy feel like she cared for him.

Raven was glad that her powers weren't active in Azarath, otherwise the entire world would be in ruins by now. She instead just stood there and sobbed into Beast Boy shoulder, letting all her anger, frustrations, sadness, and fear come pouring out in drops of water. She cried until her body felt so exhausted, that breathing became a physically difficult task.

"See?" Beast Boy whispered softly into her ear, sending very strange and alien shivers through her body. "Don't you feel better?"

Raven pulled away to look at him, then she sniffed and nodded weakly. "I guess."

The green male handed her a handkerchief, then smoothed her hair again. "Everything's gonna be okay, Raven."

"I feel like a fool, crying like that…" Raven whispered, dabbing at her eyes.

Beast Boy embraced her again, then pulled away and looked deeply into her eyes again. "Crying isn't a weakness, it's a strength. Being able to show your emotions without consequence or shame is a gift, Raven."

The dark girl stared at him in shock. Those _intelligent _words did _not_ just come from his mouth… did they? "Wow… that's very Zen of you, Beast Boy."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Tell that to the fortune cookie."

Raven's face fell instantly.

Then she began to laugh.

Hard.

She just stood there, head thrown back as every muscle in her body convulsed and musical tones poured from her mouth in a beautiful, primal rhythm. She just stood there and laughed for a long while. Finally she felt her self calm down and Raven smiled at her green companion. "Wow… that's one deep fortune cookie."

Beast Boy smiled lopsidedly at her and shrugged. "I guess…" There was a moment of silence. "I've never seen you laugh, Raven."

Raven blushed instantly, turning away slightly. "Yeah… well… few have. My powers don't really work in Azarath, so I am freer to express my emotions. Though I rarely choose to." She added the last few words quickly, in hopes of discouraging any more attempts at making her emotions shine through.

"You look so much happier when you laugh, Raven," He stated calmly, smiling.

Raven raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Most people do, Beast Boy. Laughter is generally an expression of happiness."

"No… you look _happy_, Raven. Content with yourself…" He paused for a moment, then shrugged and turned away. "But what do I know?"

There was silence again, and Raven looked at him for a few moments, as if trying to read what he _really_ thought about her and her laughter. Then, she turned away and back to her feather bed. "I think I'll rest for a while."

Her companion nodded in response. "I think I'll get some rest too." He started for the door, before pausing and turning back to the dark girl. "Sleep well, Raven. Um… could you wake me when you get up?"

"Sure."

With that the shape-shifter nodded, then tuned and left Raven's room; leaving her to decipher all thing mystical things that Beast Boy had said to her today. And why was she so intrigued by them? Crawling into her bed, she felt sleep over some her, no matter what her mind wanted.

Little did she know, that some one had been intently watching her… and Beast Boy…

- - -

Sephiroth glared into the garnet orb in front of him, wanting to smash it against the wall. Even in his childhood, Sephiroth had never made Raven laugh. They laughed together, but never _at_ something. This _Beast Boy_ had made her cry, laugh, and confess her all of her emotions in just a few short minutes of conversation.

'I _loath_ you…' The dark man thought, feeling every muscle in his body tighten with contempt. 'You are the bane of my existence… and I _will_ be rid of you.'

- - -

YAY! It's out, so BOO YAH! I got it out during exam week so ya'll better feel special or I'm gonna have to hunt you down and kick some serious arse! Okay… well… that's about all I have to say…

I don't own the Teen Titans (dur, my name is _so_ not on the credits!)

Review if you liked it, review if you hated it… it's all good!

Oh wait! I do have a note! I have never seen/played/watched/laid eyes on any Final Fantasy (other than FF Unlimited), so _no,_ Sephiroth isn't based off one of the characters. I used the name because it's Quabbala for 'God brought into man'; 'Infinite brought into finite'; etc. And I thought that if a god was brought into a man's body… the man would _definitely_ act like Sephiroth.

So… that's the story behind Sephiroth. Fun fact: He was almost named Tegh, which is Norse for Swordsman… well that's my story and thank you for listening!

Love: Xaph!


	4. Nightmares

**A Raven Colored Past**

Chapter Four: Nightmares

_June 13, 2004_

- - -

Raven woke with a start. She shot up in her bed, eyes painfully wide as cruel images shot before them. She gasped for precious breath as a cold sweat ran down her body and soaked her clothing. Her eyes were shrouded by the darkness around her, and she was unable to make out the shape of anything in her room. Hastily throwing off her covers she felt her way to the door, threw it open and ran down the torch-lit hall to Beast Boy's room; there was something she needed to make sure of.

'Oh Gods…' She thought as her bare feet were being scuffed to bleeding on the rough stone beneath them. '_Please,_ don't let it be true! Please!'

"Beast Boy! Beast Boy! Let me in!" She cried, pounding on the door and cursing her powers for not working in Azarath. "LET ME IN!" She began to throw her shoulder at the door, hoping to break it down. "BEAST BOY!!"

The door flew open and Raven flung herself into Beast Boy's arms, tears streaming down her face. She sobbed into his chest, clutching at his clothing. "Beast Boy!" She cried, her body shaking as sobs racked her body. She felt her mind lose control of all her actions as she sobbed uncontrollably.

"Raven? Raven what's wrong?" Beast Boy wrapped his arms around her shoulders tightly, hoping that she would calm down enough to tell him what was going on. He'd _never_ seen her so shook up. Something must have really frightened her, otherwise she would not be crying in _Beast Boy's_ arms.

"Are you okay?" She asked suddenly, looking up at him.

"Well… _yeah_. Why wouldn't I be?" He looked confusedly at her.

"I… I had a vision…" Raven pulled away from him, feeling a somber coolness run through her body. She suddenly had to resist the strange urge to throw herself back into his arms. What was so damn comforting about him anyway? It was just _Beast Boy._

"What about?" Beast Boy asked, taking a step away to give Raven her space. He looked into her dark eyes that were shimmering with a deep fear. "Raven?"

"I… I dreamt that you were killed… just… just like my mother was!" Raven bit her lower lip to keep herself from jumping back into his arms again. "And Sephiroth…" She couldn't finish her sentence, the memory of the death of her mother was filled with pain, and it hurt even more since she was reliving it with Beast Boy in her mother's place. She looked up at her companion and turned away, feeling like an idiot.

"Raven…" Beast Boy stepped forward and embraced her tightly, just as he had done several hours before. Raven, instead of resisting, held onto him for dear life, feeling that if she let go her whole world would end. How could he be so emotionally powerful and affect her so much?

"Raven," He started again, stroking her hair. "Everything is going to be alright… nothing bad is going to happen to me… I promise."

"But-"

Beast Boy gently pressed his fingers to her lips, subconsciously noticing how soft and supple they were. "I _promise_."

Raven nodded and buried herself back into his embrace, feeling the elated warmth surround her again. There was something about him that was so _powerful_, and although Raven was irritated by it, she was susceptible to it as well. She was probably the most susceptible to it out of anyone she knew, and although she also knew that it was probably a weakness to be so, she just didn't care. She felt so many things when he wrapped his strong arms around her, that she didn't care if it was a 'weakness'.

"Can I stay with you… just for a little while?" Raven asked innocently, looking up at him. Why was she acting like this? Why was she falling for his charm? She wanted to curse him, but as she looked into his eyes she felt all anger dissipate.

"Sure…" He crawled on his bed and motioned her to lay with him. Raven hesitated for a moment, then crawled into his arms and felt better.

Beast Boy was shocked by Raven's sudden child-like behavior, it was if she had recessed into the young girl she was when her mother was alive. He stroked her hair softly as she lay in his arm and let silent tears fall down her face, staining his shirt.

Come to think of it, Beast Boy didn't know a lot about Raven or her past. She was shrouded in mystery for him. Although he did learn a few things since the last twenty-four hours: that Raven was half-demon, that she was supposed to rule the underworld, and that her mother was killed. He looked down at the dark woman and noticed that she had fallen asleep. Smiling, he picked her up and placed her under his covers, then went to a chair and proceeded to get some more sleep.

Taking one last glance at the sleeping woman, Beast Boy smiled even brighter. Even though this trip was making her act like a total wako… he still loved her.

- - -

Raven rubbed her head and sat up in bed, vaguely noticing that she was facing the wrong direction. She remembered her terrible dream from before and shivered with fear. Closing her eyes, she pushed back tears and tried to forget the images. But she couldn't, no matter how hard she tried. They just kept getting sharper and sharper, until she saw in perfect detail, Beast Boy lying on the floor, blood pouring from his throat and staining the floor. And Raven kneeling next to him, sobbing as she tried to stop the flow of blood, whispering things into his ear. Looking up, she saw _him_. She saw Sephiroth standing there, smiling maliciously at her and Beast Boy. Then Beast Boy went limp, and everything stopped.

"Beast Boy…" She whispered, drawing her knees close to her body.

"Hm?"

Raven's eyes shot open and her vision focused on a green male, sitting calmly in a chair on the far side of the room. He smiled at her and stood up. She made a face in response to his sudden presence. What in the gods' names was he doing in her room? And without permission?

"Hey." He stated calmly, walking toward her. "Did you sleep better this time?"

She looked confusedly at him, then remembered herself running down the hall and throwing herself into his arms like some crazy fool. She felt color rise to her cheeks, then looked away. He had seen her in her weakest moment, as she cowered in fear of the death of her mother… and the similar death of her friend.

"Um… yeah…" She whispered, trying to hide her burning face from him. "Thanks for letting me sleep here…"

"Do you feel better?" Beast Boy asked. Raven looked toward him and studied him discretely. There was no tone of teasing, no overly worried tone, and no taunting tone either. There was nothing in his voice to suggest that he had seen her, only a few hours before, sobbing into his chest and demanding to be held, like a foolish child. It made Raven feel a lot better about the whole situation

"Ah… yeah." She stood up and smiled a little at him. "Sorry about barging in like that… I'm sure you didn't appreciate it."

Beast Boy shrugged nonchalantly. "Hey, I was only sleeping." There was a slight pause as he shifted uncomfortably, seeming as if he wasn't quite sure if he should say what he wanted to next. He looked at Raven a little sheepishly, hoping she would make the first verbal move.

"What is it, Beast Boy?" Raven asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Well…" Beast Boy took that as a sign that he could proceed. "Are you… okay? I mean, I know you don't really like to talk about your family or your past or anything… but if you wanna talk, I'm here you know."

Raven sighed deeply, looking at him incredulously. "Thanks for the offer, Beast Boy. But you're right… I don't like to talk about my past, so let's keep it at that, okay?"

He nodded, accepting this with ease. He knew Raven was shrouded in mystery, and liked to keep it that way, so he wasn't about to push her to talk about things she didn't want to talk about. He respected her and her decisions. "I understand."

Raven looked at the clock on the far wall, then sighed deeply. "I have to go meet with the council in an hour." She snarled slightly at the darkened clock face. "I _hate_ talking with the council… it's like one _long_ table of Sephiroths."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Beast Boy offered. "I am, after all, your 'body guard'."

Raven looked at him skeptically, then shrugged. "If you want. It's not your obligation to accompany me every where."

"No." Beast Boy gave his signature grin, a sure sign that he was teasing. "But it _is_ my pleasure."

"You are so full of it sometimes." Raven rolled her eyes and started for the door. Pausing, she looked back at her green companion. "Meet me in my room in forty-five minutes." Her eyes ruthlessly scanned his uniform-clad body. "And try to change your clothes. The council doesn't take nicely to Top-Worlders, especially ones that parade around _like_ Top-Worlders."

"I don't _parade_." Beast Boy's eyebrow shot up at her. "And exactly _what_ am I supposed to change into? I have my uniform… and that's about it."

Raven nodded at the wardrobe in the far corner. "Ask the wardrobe for something… duh." With that she turned and walked out of the room.

"Is she _insane_?" Beast Boy asked himself, staring at the door she just exited. "Ask an inanimate object to give me something to wear… what am I, a fool?"

With those last few words, a jester hat came hurdling from the far corner of his bedroom. It bounced off the back of his head then landed on the ground with musical tinkling. Beast Boy whipped around and stared at the wardrobe, then at the jester hat.

Shaking his head he sighed deeply. "I guess I am a fool…"

- - -

'I will _kill_ the person who said that men can wear tights…' Beast Boy thought angrily at he knocked on Raven's door. 'I mean my stupid spandex uniform is bad enough, but now I have to _'parade'_ around in a freaking tunic _and_ a pair of tights!?'

The door he had knocked on opened and Raven stepped into the dingy hallway. Any evil thoughts vanished as Beast Boy looked at Raven in the torchlight. She was dressed in a strapless, full length, blood red gown with rubies spilling over her shoulders and neck. Her hair was pulled up, revealing the beautiful shape of Raven's narrow shoulders and slender neck… as well as showing off her well-developed curves. Beast Boy had never seen Raven look so beautiful before, she looked like a princess.

'Better not tell her that… I'd be dead before I finished the word 'princess',' He thought as he continued to survey the dark woman.

"What are you staring at?" Raven snapped, drawing him out of his reverie.

Beast Boy thought for a moment, as if trying to decide if he would be killed if he said what he wanted to, then remembered her powers were void in Azarath, so she couldn't kill him _just_ yet. At least not until they returned to the Top-World… then he would be dead.

"You look beautiful, Raven." He stated without fear.

Raven glared at him, looked him up and down, and then sneered. "Nice tights."

"Ouch…" The green male stated, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "That one hit a little below the belt, Raven."

She sighed deeply and looked slightly remorseful. "I'm sorry Beast Boy, it's just that I get so worked up over these meetings. I _hate_ talking with the council… _and_ I have to wear these damn _dresses_." Raven snarled as she started down the hallway. Beast Boy followed her closely.

"Why?" Her companion questioned, catching up with her and meeting her stride.

"Ceremony. I have to follow tradition…" She sneered. "Thank the gods I'm advocating my title. I never want to be caught in this dress again."

"It really looks nice on you, Raven." Beast Boy stated calmly.

"Whatever." She looked over, and surveyed him again. "_You_ look pretty good in our ceremonial wear."

Beast Boy smiled teasingly at her. "Is the great and auspicious _Raven_ complimenting _me?_ The lowly team mate?"

"Only once, so don't get used to it." Raven teased back at him.

"Don't worry, I'm already in shock."

There was an exchange of smiles, then a moment silence.

"Hey…" Beast Boy asked, looking over at Raven.

"Hm?" She glanced at him calmly.

"Is Sephiroth on this council thing?" Beast Boy tried to contain his complete and utter loathing for the male, it was pretty damn hard.

"Yeah… since he's supposed to be a sovereign of Azarath as well, he's pretty high up in council status. And that's actually quite frightening." Raven suddenly stopped in front of a door made of metal latticework. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, staring at the shadowy figures that lay beyond the blackened metal.

"This is it?" Beast Boy questioned, looking over at Raven.

"This is it."

With those words, Raven pushed open the door and led herself and Beast Boy into the beating heart of the beast of Azarath.

- - -

And that's today's chapter kids! Tune in soon for the next segment!

PS: I don't own Teen Titans (dur!)

PSS: I'm working on a new story for all the Raven/Robin fans that are out there. I have to do some more concept work on it, and then I'll begin writing it. But here's a little preview:

**In the Beginning There was Darkness**

Raven is sixteen years old, she ran away from her home planet fearing her father. The Teen Titans are a group whose always willing to help out a lost soul… especially when that soul has enormous amounts of power. But what if when Raven joins the Teens she sparks some new feelings in a certain member?


	5. Denied

A Raven Colored Past

Chapter 5: Denied

July 1st 2004

- - -

Beast Boy, even though he was clad in traditional Azarathian garments, still felt like he stuck out like a sore thumb. Perhaps it was because he was standing next to a goddess in physical form, perhaps it was because he looked so young compared to the older council leaders… or maybe it was just because he was as green as an under-ripe banana. Whatever the cause was, he felt all eyes bore into him and Raven as they walked the long, carpeted cat-walk toward the head of the council.

Beast Boy could pick the council leader out instantly. He sat, elevated, at the center of the table on an ornately carved, gold chair, and he was clothed in a cloak of blood red as opposed to the midnight-black of the other members; his face, however, was hidden by the large hood. The only thing visible was the frown on his lips.

Raven stopped in front of the council leader, then bowed deeply, eyes never leaving the leader's hidden face. Slowly the council leader stood, bowed back to Raven, then removed his hood and stared down at the future queen of Azarath.

As Raven felt her breath catch in her chest and she found it hard to breathe as she stared into those frightfully familiar eyes. The leader, a friend of her mother's and therefore Raven's only friend in the council, had been replaced! And not just by anyone. He had been replaced by the bane of her existence.

"Sephiroth!" Raven whispered, taking a step back.

Beast Boy looked from the demon, to Raven and back again, snarling at the former's cool composure. Although Beast Boy didn't know a lot about the intricacies of Azarathian politics, he _did_ know that Sephiroth in power could only spell trouble for Raven and her desires to advocate.

"Raven." Sephiroth replied without a single tone to what he was thinking.

"What… what are you doing?" Raven asked, completely in shock of how he had risen in power in her absence.

"Sitting on the council, as I have done for five years, Raven." His voice was even-leveled and held a subliminal message that said: 'I own you.' Raven glared at him, feeling every ounce of hatred for him bubble up in her mind and fought hard for control. Although her powers didn't really work in Azarath, she still had to fight the urge to jump up and the table and kick the son of a bitch in his cocky face.

"Shall we begin?" Sephiroth questioned, returning to his seat and nodding at the twelve other council members. They each returned the gesture, then removed their hoods from their heads.

"Tegh, will you begin the meeting?" Sephiroth said in a very stately manner.

"Yes, Sephiroth." An older member of the council replied, then stood up and bowed to the dark woman in the center of the room. "Queen Raven-"

She cringed, but said nothing.

"After the untimely death of your father…" There was a moment of silence, as if in reverence. "… it is now your duty to ascend to the throne of Azarath."

"I wish to advocate." Raven spoke quickly and crisply, hoping that the torture would only last so long.

There was a heavy pause. Beast Boy thought for a moment that time had stopped. No one said anything, moved, or even breathed. It was quite frightening how silent it could actually get. Finally, Sephiroth broke the silence and spoke.

"Advocate? Why?" His voice was like that of a serpent's. It was as if he was tempting her to try and defy his power.

"I am a citizen of the Top-World and I wish to stay there." Raven said, holding her head up defiantly. There was a shocked murmur among the members of the council.

"Queen Raven," A member on the far left, asked as he stood up. "Is there any proof to this?"

Raven nodded and motioned to Beast Boy. He bowed quickly in response, feeling awkward about exposing the back of his neck to the council members. Anyone of them looked like they were going to take out a dagger and plunge it into his chest at any moment.

"This is Gar Logan, also known as Beast Boy. He is my bodyguard, teammate, and friend. He will vouch for me, that I have been in residence on the Top-World for four years as of this September."

"Is this true?" The member asked Raven's companion.

"It is." Beast Boy nodded.

"So…" The member continued, "This is where you've been hiding all these years, is it, Raven? Going to the Top-World, when you know it is strictly forbidden, even to the future queen?" His voice had turned to ice, accusing Raven of disobeying the laws.

"I was not hiding…" Raven spoke through clenched teeth. "I was in plain sight the whole time. You could have come and gotten me earlier… if you wanted." She snarled at them, feeling her control slipping into hatred. "But none of you like the idea of having to make contact with the Top-World, or half-breeds! How would you feel if a _half-breed_ became your queen!?"

Beast Boy quickly grabbed Raven's arm, in hope that she would calm down… or at least that Beast Boy would be able to hold her back, in case she went berserk; which had never seemed like a possibility before, but certainly seemed like one now.

"We don't decide who is our queen and who is not, _Raven_."

Beast Boy vaguely noticed that they had stopped calling Raven 'queen'.

"We only follow the orders that are given to us. If we had the choice, you would have been killed the moment your mother gave birth to you! Being human is disgusting, but being a half-breed is even worse!"

Raven ripped her arm from Beast Boy's grasp, then went up to the man and slugged him good and hard across the face. "Take that you son of a bitch! _I'm_ scum!? Well, apparently your mother died in child-birth… otherwise _you_ wouldn't be alive either!" With those last words, she turned and stormed out of the room.

Beast Boy chased after her, hoping he could at least calm her down enough for her to explain what had just happened. Some how he had a feeling that Raven wouldn't be calm for a _very_ long time.

"Raven!" He ran after her, barely able to keep ten feet behind her at all times. Raven never stopped, flinched, or even gave any sign that she knew Beast Boy was following her. She just stormed through the labyrinth of corridors and rooms, her red dress billowing behind her like a fabric fire of fury (nice alliteration).

"Raven!" Beast Boy called again. "I know you wanna be alone, but I don't know how to get back! Raven!" He continued running after her, feeling his heart sink deeper and deeper into his chest. This place never ended! He was going to get lost in hell!

Finally, Raven burst through a set of double doors, and proceeded slowly into a large cavern, filled mostly by dark and ominous lake. A large and elaborate fountain took up most of the small portion that wasn't covered by the black water. It was here that Raven suspended her furious running, and stared at the fountain in revered silence.

Beast Boy stood close to the doors, in fear of disturbing Raven's solitude. However, he too was in awe at the sight of the fountain. It was indescribable and poured blackened water from every part possible.

Raven sat on the ground, then rested her head along the rim of the bath. After a few minutes she picked her head up and turned back to Beast Boy. "You can come in closer, Beast Boy… I won't bite you."

The green male took careful steps toward the fountain, then sat down next to Raven, looking at her questioningly.

"It's the Fountain of Forget." She dipped her hand into the black water. "Drinking a single drop can make you forget the past year… and drinking a whole cup full can make you forget everything you've ever known…"

There was a small silence before she continued. "I. came here after… after I saw my mother murdered… and I was about to drink a whole goblet full… when I realized, although I was in pain… I didn't want to forget, I wanted to grow stronger."

Beast Boy looked at her carefully, shocked to learn that Raven had witnessed her own mother's death. The only woman that had truly loved Raven had been murdered in front of her very eyes.

"I never wanted to come back here, and look at this… _mess_ I've made. Some strength I turned out to have…" Raven splashed the water with her fingertips.

"Raven," Beast Boy said carefully, placing a hand on her arm. "Facing up to those council members took a lot of strength. They don't have any right to push you around, be you queen or not. You're _Raven_… and you're better than that."

Raven's cheeks turned the color of her dress and she looked away for a moment before turning back to smile at him. "Thanks, Beast Boy… but this is going to take a miracle to clean up…" She sighed deeply and placed her chin back on the rim of the bath. "Sephiroth can't rule with out marrying me first… and with him as the head of council… there's no way I can advocate now."

Beast Boy placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Everything is gonna be alright, Raven. I know it doesn't look like it right now, but it will be. I promise."

"You know… sometimes it really sickens me how optimistic you can be."

Beast Boy ginned. "Thank you. I take pride in knowing that I annoy you with my cheerfulness."

Raven raised an eyebrow. "I'm so glad you have something to amuse yourself with," She commented sarcastically.

"Oh? You're not amused?"

"No."

Beast Boy shrugged in response. "I tried."

"And failed gallantly…" Raven smirked slightly at him, then turned back to the black water and sighed deeply. "I'm going to have to face them again sometime…"

"Why do they hate you so much?" her companion questioned, turning to study her profile. Raven looked sad, confused, frustrated… all in all, she looked like she needed a hug. Although, that was _completely_ out of the question for Beast Boy.

"They always have…" Raven never took her eyes away from the fountain as she spoke softly, trying to explain to Beast Boy what she had known her whole life. "A union between a human and a demon is forbidden… but since it was my father who broke the rule… everyone just turned their heads…"

"Wow…" The wheels in Beast Boy's head were churning… unfortunately the wrong way. "Your father must have really loved your mother to break the rule…" He said in a surprised tone.

"Hmph." Raven made a sound of discontent in response. "He _loved_ the fact that she had a vagina, a uterus, _and_ she was a virgin… that was pretty much all he loved." She rolled her eyes. "Virgins are hard to come by in the world of sin."

Beast Boy's face had turned a deep shade of red. If there was one thing that shocked him, it was the fact the Raven was so racy when she spoke. It was strange that she was becoming more comfortable with him. And even stranger that she was especially comfortable enough to speak so openly and freely. He had never been so close to Raven that she would spill such dark secrets of her past to him. It actually felt good to have her talk to him, like a friend and not just a teammate.

"You really dislike your father… don't you?" Beast Boy's eyebrow rose in question. When questions of her father rose in conversation, Raven would spit an answer then sneer angrily at the thought of her father. It was very strange to see her tremble with such a dark rage, she was usually so calm and let few things bother her.

"That's putting it very lightly…" Raven's hatred turned to sadness, and she looked over at him. "How much would you love some one… if they killed your mother?"

Beast Boy's face paled as he looked at Raven in surprise. "What?"

"My father killed my mother… because she didn't want me betrothed." Raven felt tears well up in her eyes and she tried to blink them away, but with little avail. "She wanted me to grow up free of Azarath… and she gave her life for it…" She sniffed a little, turning her face away from Beast Boy's shocked gaze. "So, you can guess why I don't want to be here."

Beast Boy scooted closer to Raven and put his hands on her shoulders. "Raven… I… I never knew."

"I didn't want you to…" She turned farther away from Beast Boy, but he didn't give up. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close, not feeling any reaction, but also feeling no resistance.

"Raven… you're so strong. To have to go through all of this and still come out swinging…" He whispered calmly.

Raven pushed him off, and turned to glare at him. "Don't feel sorry for me."

"I'm not," Beast Boy replied calmly. "I'm admiring you. After my parents died…" He swallowed hard and looked away, trying to find strength. "I could never return to country that they died in… I don't even want to consider it." He glanced back up at the dark girl. "But you returned to Azarath ready for a fight."

Raven's face had now turned bright red in response to his words, then looked away. His words calmed her spirit, gave her strength, and made her actually _want_ to hug him. What in the Gods' names had happened to goofy Beast Boy?

"You know," Raven began, looking over at her companion, "You've been very insightful this whole trip. What's gotten into you?"

He shrugged. "Hell, if I know."

There's the Beast Boy we all know and love!

"That was a really bad pun." Raven raised an eyebrow. Beast Boy grinned in response.

"Oh, I know."

There was a period of comfortable silence, before Beast Boy popped a very daring question.

"So… what should we do now?"

Raven looked up at him and shrugged. "Wait until that damned council calls me back for another meeting and some reprimanding I guess…" She stood up and rolled her shoulders, easing the tension from the tired muscles. All that crying and past spilling was murder on her stress levels. After a moment, she looked back down at Beast Boy. "Are you hungry?"

He nodded, standing up. "Starving."

"Let's go get some food." She started for the door, Beast Boy close behind.

"I wont have to stay here a month for every piece of food I eat… will I?" He asked tentatively.

Raven laughed. "No…" She turned to her green companion slyly. "Although maybe we should reinstate that rule…"

"Not funny!"

- - -

SORRY! I had to re-post the story due to the fact that my years were kind of goofy. Meaning if Raven was fourteen when she came to the top world, and she was on the top world for six years, that would make her like twenty. And that's just too darn old. Anyway… just thought I'd fix that for you and everything.

PS: NEW STORY!!

**Dirty** _Beast Boy finds some trashy romance novels in Raven's possession… need I say more? _

PSS: I don't own Teen Titans, dur. If I did, Beast Boy would SO be mine!


	6. GoodByes

A Raven-Colored Past

July 7th, 2004

- - -

Sephiroth folded his hands in front of his face and watched as the council members around him yelled and screamed at each other. He sighed deeply and let them argue for a few minutes longer before he stood up and commanded silence.

"What are we going to do, Sephiroth?" Tegh asked, looking at the council leader with worry. "No one wants a half-breed as our queen… yet we are unable to defy the law that Trigon set before us."

"I know, Tegh…" Sephiroth said in a strained voice as he returned to his seat, the other council members following his lead. "I am aware of the situation… and trust me, I _will_ take care of it."

'Although I'm not sure how…' he added silently.

"Sephiroth, sir," An older member of the council spoke as he stood up. "Forgive me for saying so but… could her companion be used as a sort of leverage? Raven mentioned that he was a friend, and perhaps we can use him to our advantage…"

"Hm…" he replied, holing his chin in his hand and contemplating silently. "Yes… yes, it seems the two of them _do_ share a bond of some sort."

An epiphany came to Sephiroth at that very moment. Raven shared a bond with the green Top-Worlder… she shared a deep bond with him… meaning…

Sephiroth stood up in a flash and nodded curtly to the other members. "I will take care of this problem, but give me some time to think it over." He bowed shortly, before walking out of the room.

'Raven _loves_ that green Top-Worlder… I know it!' Sephiroth thought angrily as he rushed down the halls to his study. It was in that room that he would find what he was looking for. 'I knew that _he_ loved _her_, but I wasn't aware that the feeling was mutual… not until he mentioned it…' He threw open the door to his study and stormed in.

'This is going to make everything a lot harder than it has to be…' Sephiroth sat at his desk and pulled a dagger from its golden box. 'But I am willing to go to any ends to achieve what I want… and I want Raven!'

- - -

It had been a day since the council incident, and Beast Boy now found himself sitting at a table, across from Raven, in the library. He was dumbfounded as to _why_ there was a library in hell, but didn't really press the issue. Instead he looked at the hundreds of thousands of shelves that were piled with books and books on all sorts of various and obscure subjects, ranging from the history of Azarath, to the best way to prune a rosebush. It was slightly disturbing, to say the least.

As was the silence.

…

Yep.

…

Perfectly silent…

Perfectly disturbing…

"It's too quiet…" Beast Boy whispered, looking up at Raven. She peered angrily over the edge of her book at him, then set it down on the table.

"It _is_ a library, and some people like it quiet, Beast Boy," She remarked, raising an eyebrow.

"I know…" Beast Boy whined slightly. "But… come _on_ it's just the two of us in here. It's not like we're gonna bother anyone."

"_Some_ people _like_ the quiet," Raven repeated angrily. "Hint hint."

"Oh…" Beast Boy looked a little sheepish. "Sorry… I'll let you read… I just… ya know… wanted to talk, or something…" His gaze darted nervously around the dark, shadowed walls.

Raven sighed deeply, then closed the book and propped her head up with her hand. "Something is bothering you, isn't it?"

Beast Boy jerked slightly in surprise, then shook his head. "No…"

Raven raised her eyebrow again, giving him a skeptical look. "Oh?"

"Okay… I hate that look." He muttered before continuing. "I'm just so confused about everything… I mean… _everything_."

Raven pushed the book aside, signaling to Beast Boy that he had her full attention, and that she was willing to carry on a conversation. "Everything with my marriage? Azarath? The world? Human existence? What?"

Beast Boy smirked as he realized Raven was becoming more humor-prone. He bit his lip and thought for a moment, hoping he wasn't going to offend Raven or anything of the like. "Well, not just your marriage…" He shifted a bit uncomfortably at the word. "But Sephiroth said that we shouldn't be friends with a half-demon… and that it was dangerous." Beast Boy looked away feeling a bit foolish at asking such a bold question, and calling Raven a half-ling. He hoped she wasn't insulted.

Raven blushed deeply and looked away, feeling Beast Boy's gaze slowly return to her. "Well… he's right."

"_What?_" Beast Boy looked completely confused. Why shouldn't he be friends with Raven? What was the problem? Just because she was half-demon didn't mean that they couldn't be friends… right?

"Remember how I said a union between a human and a demon is forbidden?" Beast Boy nodded as Raven looked at him in ignominy. "The reason it is forbidden is that my powers become unstable, which is why I have to keep my feelings under control. If my powers become too out of control… I can destroy the world…" She looked away, blushing slightly. "I never told anyone because I felt you would see me as a threat and… and not be my friends." Raven swallowed hard. "I hadn't had friends in a long time…"

Beast Boy was in shock as he stared at Raven's face, coated in shame. She never told anyone the extent of her powers… and hearing it frightened him deeply, but also made him love her more. Her fear of rejection meant that she was human, not the emotionless girl most had come to know.

"I wish you would have told us before, Raven…" Beast Boy said, leaning forward and placing his hand upon her own. "We would have understood your needs far better."

Raven's face grew an even brighter red and she looked away again. "I was going to tell you… but after a while it became easier to live a lie."

"Don't live a lie, Raven… everyone loves you for who you are, and you shouldn't be ashamed of it." Beast Boy smiled supportively at her.

"You know… your insight on this whole trip amazes me," Raven said, looking strangely at him. "When did you start using your brain?"

Beast Boy smiled jokingly at her. "When you forced me into it by all your intellectual remarks. It's really hard to know what you're talking about sometimes."

The dark girl laughed lightly. "I'm glad I was able to help you in some way."

"I'm still trying to decide if you helped or hindered me." He smirked playfully at her and Raven just shook her head.

It was strange how close the two of them had become in the past few days. Anyone who knew both Beast Boy and Raven would have proclaimed Beast Boy dead on the first day of such an excursion… but Raven found herself liking Beast Boy more and more. He wasn't the _complete_ fool he let everyone belive. There was a lot about him that was shrouded from the normal eye; which almost bothered her, but at the same time it intrigued her.

Beast Boy stood up and began to wander the shelves of the library, letting Raven enjoy her book in the silence she asked for. But Raven was unable to engage in her reading. She looked at the pages for a long while, eyes unfocused as she thought about… well, about Beast Boy.

Chancing a glance at him over the edge of her book, she felt her face get warm. What had happened to the goofy green boy that she had come to know and hate? Instead he was replaced with an _insightful_ goofy green boy. She was sort of captivated by this new Beast Boy… he made her feel… loved. Raven's face burned a brighter red and she returned to the pages of her book, hiding her face from view.

He couldn't love her! Beast Boy hated the way Raven was always irritated with him, and frustrated with him, and mad at him! But at the same time… Beast Boy had never shunned away from her, he always continued to approach her, talk to her, and try to make her feel special. As if he felt Raven needed to be treated special.

'Oh no…' Raven thought, her eyes going wide in surprise. 'He _does_ love me!'

Beast Boy turned and walked down another aisle of shelves, scanning the spines for something interesting to read. Raven watched him intensely, trying to figure out exactly when this had happened… and why she felt more surprise than anger or frustration. Why exactly wasn't she upset about this?

"Hey, Raven?"

She snapped out of her gaze and looked over at Beast Boy, feeling her face continue to burn red. "Yeah?"

"Ah…" he blushed slightly then shook his head and turned away. "Never mind."

Raven just continued to gaze at him for a long while. What _was_ it about him exactly? She wasn't mad that he loved her… in fact she was kind of happy. She liked the attention she received from him, and the way he made her feel special and protected. That didn't mean that she loved him too, did it?

Raven chuckled and shook her head. There was no way that she could love Beast Boy. Sure he was a good friend and all, but they were just too different. He had his video games and television, and Raven had her books and meditation.

'Friends…' She thought, a sad smile peeling across her lips. 'We're friends.'

Beast Boy looked over his shoulder at her. "Raven? Are you okay? You look a little sad…" He approached her, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Something troubling you?"

Raven shook her head, feeling color rise to her cheeks. "No… not really…" She stood up and smiled a little at him. "Hey, Beast Boy?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks… for coming with me…"

Beast Boy grinned at her. "What are friends for?"

Raven sighed and stood up, holding her head. "I'm feeling a little tired, I think I'll lay down for a bit."

Her green companion nodded. "Sure… I'll be here in the library."

Raven gave a start and looked strangely at him. "Why…?"

"Cause I know you'll come back here sometime… and I think I found a book I like." He grinned at her. "Surprisingly enough."

"I'll say…" Raven smiled at him. "Well… I'll see you in a little bit." She started for the door, then turned around and watched him pull a book from the shelf. "You never cease to amaze me, Beast Boy…" she whispered before exiting the room.

The hall felt warmer then usual and lulled Raven into a slight stupor as she treaded the ground to her room. Her mind wandered slowly back to the green boy she left alone in the library, and her heart floated in her chest as if it wanted to fly away. What was it about him…? He was just a goofy friend of hers, nothing more nothing less, right?

"Raven…" The scent of burnt wood yanked Raven from her stupor and she whipped around to face the chiseled face of Sephiroth. She felt her blood boil as she stared into those dark, sinister eyes. Why had she not noticed his presence before hand?

"What do you want?" She hissed, eyes narrowing at him.

"Only to have a friendly chat with my betrothéd." He motioned to a stone bench a few feet away. "Care to join me?"

"I'm not friends with you…" Raven snarled before turning away and starting down the hall again.

"You're just making this more difficult for me…" Sephiroth said coolly. Raven stopped in her tracks and turned around slowly, staring at him with confusion. "Besides… I have a bit of a bargaining chip that might interest you…"

Raven's eyes narrowed at the male, curious as to what he meant. "What 'bargaining chip'?"

"You…" Sephiroth began to circle the dark maiden, but continued to speak conversationally to her. "Have broken your oath to Azarath." Raven noticed that he avoided the subject of his bargaining chip, just like the snake he was. "You have tempted a male into passion, lust, and even…love. Now normally, this male would be exterminated in order for you to keep your chastity to me… but I have noticed something."

"What does this have to do with your 'bargaining chip'?" Raven snarled, becoming irritated with his shadowed games.

"I'm getting there Raven… just wait," he paused for effect, smiling maliciously at her. "I have noticed that the feelings you have drawn out in this male have… dare I say, also been drawn out it you? That his feelings of passion, lust, and love are also yours for him… this, Beast Boy?"

Raven took a step back, everything slowly registering in her mind. He knew she cared for Beast Boy… and he was planning to use it against her. "Let him go!" She yelled helplessly.

"Now," Sephiroth continued without noticing that Raven spoke. "As I said before, I would normally exterminate Beast Boy… but this would draw out your full potential of power… and we can't have that. So, here's my proposition… you marry me, and in a few years I'll let you advocate. You refuse to marry me, and I'll kill Beast Boy… your love."

"No!" Raven gasped, taking a step back. "You wouldn't do that!"

"You shouldn't have left him alone in the library…" Sephiroth sneered angrily at her. "He did put up quite a fight..." He motioned with his hand and a red bubble came forward, holding Beast Boy inside he looked at Raven helplessly, silently wishing that she didn't see him like this. He was supposed to protect her, not the other way around.

"No…" Raven whispered in shock. "Let him go!"

"If you marry me without a fuss." Sephiroth replied shortly.

"Raven don't!" Beast Boy yelled through his giant bubble. "Don't listen to anything he says! I'll be fine, I promise!"

Raven looked from the bubble to Sephiroth, then shook her head slowly. There was only one choice in order to keep everyone safe. Now matter how much she didn't want for it to happen, it had to.

"Fine, I'll marry you…" Raven's head fell in defeat. "Just please… don't hurt Beast Boy…"

"Oh… I won't." He let the bubble dissipate, and Beast Boy fell to the ground in a heap of green limbs. Raven ran to his side, checking to make sure he wasn't fatally injured or wounded. He seemed to be all right… but his gaze was filled with the deepest kind of pain. The kind of pain that made even Raven want to cry.

"Would you two like a moment of privacy?" Sephiroth sneered victoriously. "To say your last good-byes?"

"Go away, Sephiroth…" Raven snarled, holding back her tears as she looked from Beast Boy's face to Sephiroth's sinister smile.

"I'll take that as a yes…" Sephiroth turned and strolled away slowly. "I'll be back in a few minutes, my wife." And he disappeared into the darkness.

Raven helped Beast Boy to his feet and they stared at each other sadly, each one not knowing what to say next. Finally Beast Boy spoke.

"I'm sorry I failed you, Raven…" He whispered in a strained voice. "I guess I'm not as good a bodyguard as I thought I was."

Raven shook her head, feeling her throat become tight and tingle from holding everything back. "You did what you could… but this was inevitable. Sephiroth wanted to marry me and he would stop at nothing to get what he wanted."

"You shouldn't have done that," Beast Boy stated firmly, looking at her in slight confusion. "Everything would have turned out okay, at least you would have been safe."

"Everything would _not_ have been okay, Beast Boy. He was going to kill you… and I couldn't bear that." Raven looked away sheepishly, then stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his neck. "I could bear loosing you… knowing that you and I were no longer in the same world…"

"Raven…" Beast Boy asked confusedly, wrapping his arms around her trembling body. "What are you talking about? We're always together… we're friends, and we don't ever _really_ leave each other."

Raven smiled at that prospect, she realized now that she hadn't protested when Sephiroth claimed that Raven loved Beast Boy. Actually, the thought was… well, it was welcome. She loved Beast Boy… after all he had done for her on this trip and before… she realized she loved him. And that was okay with her.

"Hey, Beast Boy?" She asked, looking up at him.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Beast Boy pulled away for the embrace and looked at her in shock. "What?"

"I love you… and-"

Beast Boy stopped her from saying anymore, hearing it once brought absolute meaning into his life. Hearing twice made him want to kiss her… which he did. Quite deeply, might I add.

Slowly, he pulled away from her and smiled at her. "I love you, too…"

Raven looked up at him, tears suddenly pouring from her eyes. Beast Boy felt his own eyes begin to water as he watched the girl he love cry. Nothing more was said between them, they both knew this was the end…

- - -

OF COURSE THIS ISN'T THE END!

You really didn't think I'd end it there, would you? Come on! I'm a sucker for happy endings! Beast Boy will come back… don't you worry!

I wanna apologize to every author whose stories I've read. Great and wonderful stories like:

**Closer**

Playing With Fire

Things Unsaid

The Sweet Hereafter

Etc.

My computer has been dying a horrible terrible death, in which case I had to switch to using my laptop for the Internet, and my laptop isn't doing much better than my desktop. One of the set backs is that I am now unable to leave reviews due to how old my laptop and its OS are. So… I APOLOGIZE! I've REALLY wanted to leave reviews because I've been reading some AWESOME fan fictions lately… but I CAN'T and it SUCKS! So I'm SORRY!!! TT

Okay… well, after that…

I don't own Teen Titans, dur!

NEW STORY!

Dirty _(A Humorous Raven and Beast Boy Ficlet)_

Beast Boy discovers several trashy romance novels in Raven's possession … need I say more?


	7. Coping with Loss and Happiness

****

A Raven Colored Past

Chapter Seven: Coping with Loss…and Happiness

__

July 21, 2004

- - -

Beast Boy's heart was heavy as he looked up at Titan Tower, glowing like a beacon in the night. He couldn't bear to see the Tower, not when he knew that the girl he loved was trapped in hell, and he was a world away from her. He had failed himself, the other titans, but most of all… he had failed Raven. After all those promises to protect her and keep her safe, he now stood on the Top-World, while she was enclosed by the burning walls of blackmail.

His limbs were weighted as he pushed open the door to the tower, trudging slowly through the entryway, up the stairs, and into the living room. Robin sat on the couch playing a game with Cyborg, as they were both unaware of the events that had taken place earlier today.

'Maybe I shouldn't bother them with it…' Beast Boy thought as he turned to walk silently out of the living room. For a moment, however, he paused and looked at their faces, studying the expression or lack thereof. Each face was completely blank, as if they weren't concerned with the game in front of them, but more concerned with something they could not control. Beast Boy sighed deeply, and turned back to them fully. 'But, they have a right to know. I should tell them.'

"Robin… Cyborg…" He said carefully. Each of the boys jumped up and turned to look at their visitor. Slowly, smiles worked across their faces and they stood up, glad to see the goofy green face again. Just a few days without him felt actually sad and lonely, and it was nice to have the silly boy back at the tower.

"Beast Boy," Robin said, approaching the green titan eyes lit with the happiness of a safe return. " How'd it go? What happened exactly?" He paused for a moment and looked around. His face went from happiness to confusion in a few miniscule seconds as he noticed the lack of the other Titan. "Where's Raven?"

Beast Boy cringed slightly at the name, then looked away. He couldn't face them and tell them the bad news, not after he promised with all his heart that they would return safely. "She's still back there…"

"What?" Cyborg asked in surprise. "Why? How come she's not back here, BB?"

"Sephiroth found a 'bargaining chip'." Beast Boy walked to the sofa and fell heavily into it. "He blackmailed her into a marriage." He ran his hand through his hair and felt tears come to his eyes, blinking them away he continued to tell the dreary tale. "Raven had to stay in Azarath… to be married to Sephiroth and become queen."

"_WHAT!?_" Robin's face fell instantly and Cyborg looked like he was going to be sick with either shock or rage, it was hard to decide.

"I tried everything to protect her… but when we came close to the end of it all, we both got careless, and I lost Raven." Beast Boy took a long, straggled breath then finally let his tears fall down his face silently. "It was my fault… I'm so sorry."

Robin slowly sat down next to Beast Boy and stared straight ahead of him, unable to move or say anything. It was hard comprehend… even just _think_ about. They had lost Raven to the throes of Azarath, but he didn't blame Beast Boy. He blamed the manipulative Sephiroth and all of his evil doings.

"Damnit!" Robin yelled suddenly, letting his head fall into his hands as anger and rage swept swiftly through his body. He had lost Raven; _all_ of the Titans had lost Raven. She was such a vital piece of their lives; their friend that was shrouded in mystery, but still so… so _Raven_. They had lost _her._

"I'm sorry, Robin… Cyborg…" Beast Boy whispered through his silent tears, feeling a deep shame at being able to sit upon the same sofa with them. "I know I let everyone down. I really screwed up this time."

"No…" Cyborg said, sitting slowly next to Robin on the sofa, feeling just as empty and shocked as anyone else in the room. "If Sephiroth was so determined to have Raven, none of us could have stopped him. He would have manipulated all of us… it wasn't your fault."

"But, I promised to keep her safe… and I failed her. I failed all of you." Beast Boy sighed deeply, wiping his tears from his face and feeling rather foolish at exposing himself like that.

"You didn't fail anyone, Beast Boy… you protected her the best that you could, that's all that anyone could ask of you." Robin stated firmly.

"Maybe…" The green boy stood up, his head hanging in defeat. "I think I need to be alone for a while…" And with slow, heavy steps, he exited the door.

His body barely seemed able to move down the hall when he walked. The loss of Raven had hit him in every physical and mental way that it could. His mind felt as though weights had taken residence upon it, and his heart felt the same way. Beast Boy knew he was sinking into depression as well, and was powerless to stop it.

He stopped outside a door and looked at the engraved nameplate upon it. Seeing her name only made things worse. He couldn't handle the loss of a loved one! It is terrible to lose your parents to death, it is even worse to lose your love to marriage no one wanted.

'If only I could talk with her some how… but I don't know how to return to Azarath…' He pressed his hand against the cold, steel door, feeling his emotions run wild within him. Then it hit him like a lightening bolt. An epiphany of sorts.

'_I_ don't know how to return to Azarath… but I know someone who does!' He thought suddenly, and with that Beast Boy threw open the door, knowing he could now enter her domain without fear of punishment. He allowed the lights to stay off, as Raven would have preferred and looked around the room carefully. The sheets were thrown off the bed in a haphazard fashion, and many articles had been removed from the shelves as if a struggle had taken place in the room.

'Probably fighting with Sephiroth… the bastard,' Beast Boy snarled to himself, trying to contain all the anger he felt for the being, it was pretty damn hard.

He began looking under the sheets piled on the floor, and then on the shelves. Finally, on the highest shelf, shoved all the way in the corner, was what Beast Boy had been looking for. His fingers grasped cold metal and pulled the beautiful and ornate mirror down from the shelf. He looked into its smooth, reflective surface for a small moment, before getting the strange feeling that he was being sucked through a very dark and large straw.

WOOMPH!

"Ow…" Beast Boy rubbed the newly growing bump on his head as he sat up. "Note to self: watch the landing."

"BEAST BOY!!" A bright, pink ball came flying through the air suddenly, tackling Beast Boy to the ground, and began screaming with unbridled joy. "Beast Boy! Beast Boy! BeastboybeastboybeastboybeastboybeastboybeastboybeastBOOOOOOOY!"

"Ahh… it's nice to see you too… Happy." Beast Boy choked out, seeing as Happy's arms were wrapped around his neck like a python around its prey. "Can… you ah… let me… breathe?"

"Ooops!" Happy let go and sat up, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "Sorry about that!" There was a moment of pause before Happy launched into another expression of excitement. "I'msohappyyou'reherebecausenoneofusknowwhattodoandRavenmissesyousooooomuchand-and-and-"

"Happy, take a breath…" Another, less excited, voice said from behind the pink-clad Raven. Happy breathed in deep and held her breath so her cheeks puffed out and her eyes went wide.

"I don't think Beast Boy will be leaving any time soon." The less excited voice was clad in yellow, and took very calm and careful steps toward the green boy on the ground.

Beast Boy looked over at the yellow Raven, who was, oddly enough, wearing glasses. She smiled knowingly at him, and nodded her head in greeting. "Hello, Beast Boy." She offered her hand to him, and he accepted it. "I don't belive we met last time you visited. I'm Knowledge."

"Hello," He said calmly as he stood up.

Knowledge looked over at Happy, whose face was turning purple and flailing her arms. She shook her head and sighed deeply, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Happy, you can breathe, you know."

"WHEW! I didn't think I could do that!" Happy giggled brightly, skipping over to where Knowledge and Beast Boy stood. She pulled on the Titan's arm, trying to drag him to the portal into her world. "Let's play together, BB! Come on! We can go run throught the fields or-"

SMACK.

Knowledge slapped Happy's hand and she let go of Beast Boy's arm instantly.

"OWWW!" Happy cried, holding her bruised hand close to herself, fearing another onslaught of physical abuse from the yellow one. She pouted angrily and looked at Knowledge. "What was _that_ for!?"

"For trying to take Beast Boy away. You know Raven wanted to see him as _soon_ as he got here," Knowledge scolded the pink Raven.

"Why does _she_ get to keep him to herself?" Happy pouted some more, crossing her arms over her chest and stamping her foot like a child.

"Listen you, just because Raven is letting you out more, doesn't mean that you can just go and do whatever you want," Knowledge said firmly, shaking a finger at her.

"Whoa! Time out here," Beast Boy said, holding up his hands in a shape of a 'T'. He stepped in between the feuding Ravens and looked at Knowledge. "You said Raven was waiting to see me?"

"Yes, she was hoping you'd remember the mirror and use it to come see her… I must admit that _I_ was a little skeptical at first… but, you seem to have gotten here just fine," Knowledge said with mild surprise.

"Mm, thanks for your vote of confidence," Beast Boy said flatly, rolling his eyes.

"Do you want to see her or not?" Knowledge raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Could I see her, please?" Beast Boy asked politely, feeling his stomach tense at the prospect of seeing Raven again… or from having to deal with such strange sides of Raven. Either way… it was _way_ weird.

"Yes, follow me…" Knowledge said calmly, starting across the bridge of floating rock. Beast Boy nodded, and stayed closely behind her.

"I WANNA COME!!!" Happy cried as she bounded up to the pair and launched herself at Beast Boy's Back. She tugged on his uniform, jumping up and down. "Give me a piggyback ride, BB!! PLEEEEEEEAAAAAAASSEEEEE???"

"WHAAAA???" Beast Boy stared at the girl as if she had proclaimed herself the queen of shopping. "You want a _what_!?"

Knowledge sighed, rubbing her temples furiously, feeling a headache start to form there. "Humor her, _please_. That's all she's been talking about since your last visit. 'I want a piggyback ride from BB… blah blah blah blah blah…' It's really beginning to get on my nerves."

"Um…" He looked back at Happy, who was staring at him with wide, expecting eyes. "Okay… come on." He bent down and Happy jumped on to his back, squealing with glee.

"YAY!"

Beast Boy looked over at Knowledge as they started back down the path, and raised an eyebrow in question. "Has she always been this… ah… exuberant?"

Knowledge shook her head, sighing deeply as Happy made even more sounds of joy. "No… only lately, because Raven's been able to let her out some more… thanks to you." She smiled a little at him.

The green Titan's cheeks turned red instantly and he looked away in embarrassment. He quickly began searching for a subject change, and found it in the angry face of Raven.

_The_ Raven.

Yes, the one and only _Raven_.

"_Happy_," Raven growled between clenched teeth, a little vein popping out on her forehead. "_what are you doing?_"

Happy jumped off Beast Boy's back and skipped around the three people happily. "Beast Boy gave me a PIGGYBACK RIDE!!"

Knowledge grabbed the hood of Happy's disgustingly pink cloak and rolled her eyes. "Come on, Happy… let's leave Beast Boy and Raven alone…" She drug the emotion away.

"Aweeee… do I have to?" Happy cried, pushing out her bottom lip.

"Yes…" Knowledge said this as if being with Happy would kill her… which it might actually do.

"Okay…" Happy began to wave at the couple left behind. "BYE-BYE, BB! COME SEE ME LATER!!" She cried as her butt was drug across the rocky surface of the floating path.

Raven just glared at the emotion, and Beast Boy waved a small good-bye. He slowly looked over at Raven who was just seething with jealousy at the very thought of anyone getting a piggyback ride from _her_ Beast Boy.

"A _piggyback_ ride…" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Heh… sorry?"

- - -

Ahh… sorry about how AWFUL this chapter was. I promised myself I would get it out before I had to leave for Florida. So, It's 12:00 in the morning and I have to get up in 4.5 hours to leave for the airport. Needless to say… the editing on this chapter is not the greatest. But I promise to edit the chapter better and re-post it, when I write chapter eight. Thanks for all your cooperation!

Love: Xaph!

Tell me if you hated it, tell me if you loved it, tell me to go eat a sock… I don't care! It's all good to me!

I don't own Teen Titans, and don't sue… because all you'll get is $2.00… yippitie-skippitie for you.


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